Booting to serial console is just an alternative. If you want to verify
your hardware before you install Linux, you can just boot up your Ultra
1 with Solaris Installation CD. You should be able to verify your
keyboard/video/hard disk at minimum.

As far as console, minicom works really well from Linux or tip if you
have another Solaris box. Just be sure you are using a null modem cable
with 8N1 (8 bit/No parity/1 stop bit) setting at 9600 baud.

Alex
John Zbesko wrote:

Thank you for your reply. What I haven't found is instruction on what
software to use to actually make the connection. I could use an example,
like, open a terminal on the laptop, run minicom (?), set minicom to
vt100 emulation, "connect" to the com port, etc.
I would not be so noobie-like, if everything were working fine, but if
I'm trying to diagnose a problem, then I need to determine if something
is broken, rather than learning how to use a serial logon. Any
suggestions or links would be greatly appreciated.